


Twelve Barrels of Silver and Twelve of Gold

by IdunAurora



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Medieval, In a way, M/M, Songfic, based on a medieval ballad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 14:22:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10024529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdunAurora/pseuds/IdunAurora
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a young lord who fell in love with the innkeeper's beautiful son, and as his feelings were reciprocated, they met in secret, hidden in the safety of the nocturnal darkness. However, the lord had duties and had to sail the seas, leaving his beloved with a promise of marriage upon his return.But the prince took a liking in the innkeeper's son, and as the innkeeper was sickly and the elders of the kingdom grew impatient, a wedding was arranged between the two. The prince's bride, however, refused to enter the bridal chamber time and time again, waiting for the telltale sails of red, white and blue to return to the kingdom once more.Would Lord Nikiforov make it back before the prince's patience ran out?Yuuri could only pray he would.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Rated M to be safe.  
> TW: rape threat, minor injury. Nothing graphic.  
> Based on a Swedish medieval ballad (hence the TW:s, because there are few medieval ballads that do not contain indications of such things).  
> Also, I have never, ever written anything in this style before in English. Apologies beforehand.

Once upon a time, there was a young lord, who owned more land than a prince could ever dream of and sought adventure in every corner of the world to satisfy his curiosity and endless need for surprises. As it happened, the lord fell in love with the most beautiful man the kingdom of Hasetsu had ever seen, the son of an innkeeper with hair as black as the darkest night and skin as fair as freshly fallen snow. The sweetest tinge of cherry blossom pink dusted his cheeks and his warm gaze was that of chestnut brown. He looked like an angel and danced like one, too.

And so, they met in secret in the safe of the dark, exchanging longing kisses and yearning promises they swore to keep even if their life depended on it. Many a night they met, until the lord one day had to sail the seas again on a mission for the kingdom. He held his love close that night, promising he would return, and that when he did, he wished to marry him.

“Wait for me, my love and life.” Said Lord Nikiforov and kissed the innkeeper’s son deeply.

“Even if I had to dance until my feet bled and the moon fell from the sky, I would still wait for you.” Promised Yuuri Katsuki.

 

Months passed, and months soon turned into a year, that turned into two.

 

The innkeeper Katsuki had fallen ill, and suddenly, the haste to marry his children off became reality. His oldest child, the maiden Mari, was given to a count, who took a liking in her attitude and her wit. The wedding lasted for seven days, and food was good and the wine flowed freely. The newly married couple then settled down in the count’s manor immediately after the consummation of their marriage, and got their happily ever after.

Unfortunately, then, the innkeeper’s son couldn’t escape anymore. The elders deemed him old enough and they pressured the innkeeper to marry him off as soon as possible.

“I am promised to Lord Nikiforov, father.” Yuuri Katsuki told the sickly man. “He will be back soon. I know he will.”

But the prince had taken a liking in the innkeeper’s son, and as the prince held more riches than Lord Nikiforov owned land, Yuuri was promised to him at once. He had no saying on the matter. His father could go against the elders’ pressuring, but not the prince’s wish, and the prince wanted him and no one else.

Yuuri prayed every day and every night, to the sun and to the moon alike, that Lord Nikiforov would return before it was too late.

 

The wedding lasted for days on end.

On the second day, the prince tried coaxing Yuuri into the bridal chamber, but the innkeeper’s son refused. Instead, he kept dancing with the groom and the guests, as was expected of him.

The third day came and went, and Yuuri avoided the bridal chamber again.

Seven days passed. Yuuri remained a virgin.

Nine days passed, and the prince was growing impatient.

 

On the twelfth day, the prince turned to his bride in anger.

“If you won’t let me consummate our marriage willingly, I will have the guards take you to the bridal chamber and hold you down while I do so.”

Yuuri felt all emotion leave his body, felt his hands and bleeding feet go numb. Where his heart once was, was nothing, for Lord Nikiforov had sailed away with it a long time ago.

He had promised he would wait for him.

He wouldn’t lose hope now.

Remembering his lover’s promises, he straightened his back and met the prince’s gaze.

“If I am to be forced to be bedded, I have only one last wish.”

The prince had no choice but to heed it. He permitted his bride to speak.

“I wish to have one last dance with each of our guests.”

The prince offered his arm.

“So be it.”

 

Dancing with the bride, the stable boy Phichit soothed his friend to the best of his abilities. He told him everything would turn out well, that Lord Nikiforov would keep his promise and come back for him, that there were still many a guest to dance with, and everything else he could think of. Unfortunately, the only comfort that was left in the end wasn’t comforting at all, as the one thing Phichit had yet to reassure Yuuri about was that surely, despite his threat, the prince would handle him with care.

Silvery tears flowed freely down Yuuri’s snow white features as Phichit handed him over to dance with the merchant Nishigori’s son, Takeshi. Thankfully, Takeshi and his wife, Yuuko, were both good friends of Yuuri as well, and would surely take care of him in turn.

Phichit was in the middle of the thought when a glimpse of familiar sails caught his attention through the window. He could hardly fight the smile off his face.

Discreetly, Phichit found Yuuko amongst the dancing couples and told her of his discovery. And so, while Yuuko searched for her husband and the bride, Phichit ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the stables.

He chose the fastest steed he could find and sped off towards the harbour, his cloak whipping in the wind as he willed his horse to go faster. From a distance, he could make out the shape of a tall figure with hair like starlit silver disembarking from the prominent ship with sails in red, white and blue.

“Lord Nikiforov!”

The lord turned towards him immediately, shimmering eyes the color of the Seven Seas widening in recognition as the stable boy pulled to a halt and swiftly dismounted the steed.

“Where is he?” asked the lord at once. “Where is my love and life?”

“You must make haste, my lord.” Said Phichit and handed him the reigns. “For your bride is at the castle, and the prince has voiced that he will consummate their marriage with force when your intended has had one last dance with each of the guests. You must claim him before the prince does so.”

Lord Nikiforov immediately took the reigns and mounted the horse with urgency.

“I owe you my everything, dear boy.”

“Ride, my lord!”

 

The wind whipped around Lord Nikiforov as he rode faster than he had ever dreamed he would. The goal was clear as daylight in his mind, like chasing a shining star in the black of night. He would give the stable boy all the land, riches and ships he could ever want for his help, but those matters were for another day.

For now, the only one that mattered was the beautiful son of the innkeeper Katsuki.

Lord Nikiforov stopped in front of the doors to the prince’s castle and ran inside, his heart beating rapidly in his chest, panic and fear urging him on.

He prayed to the sun and the moon he wasn’t too late.

“My lord!”

A hand on his arm stopped Lord Nikiforov. He was met by a young woman whom he vaguely recognized as the wife of the merchant Nishigori’s son, and one of his lover’s closest friends.

“This way, quickly.” Said Yuuko, and he followed.

She led him to a beautifully carved, heavy oaken door, where her husband stood guard. As they approached, an expression of relief smoothed his features.

“He’s in here, my lord.” Said Takeshi with a bow. “Lock the door from the inside. You will not be disturbed.”

Lord Nikiforov thanked them in haste and entered the chamber, doing as told and locking the door securely behind him before turning around.

“Yuuri.”

The name escaped his lips in a soft whisper as he crossed the bridal chamber to the bed.

“Viktor.”

His voice was as beautiful as tingling bells in a warm summer breeze.

The lord fell to his knees beside the bed, taking both of his intended’s hands in his own and kissing them reverently, claiming each and every finger as his. He carefully carressed the bleeding feet, pearly tears shimmering in silvery lashes at the sight before him.

“My love and life, let me.” Lord Nikiforov collected a washcloth and warm water, carefully cleaning every last wound and wrapping the slender feet into soft, white fabric to soothe and heal.

Only then did the lord reach up to longingly claim the lips he had dreamt of every night and every day since he left, and the world fell away. The kiss was slow and gentle, comforting in ways no words could never be. Years of yearning left them breathless as they fervently sought comfort in each other’s embrace, until no layers of fabric were left between them, and the lord rightfully claimed the bride that was his all along.

 

As the stable boy returned, he was told by the spouses Nishigori that Lord Nikiforov had arrived on time. All that was left to do was inform the prince that his bride wasn’t, in fact, his.

So they marched into the grand hall and found the prince dancing with a fair, young maiden, smiling brightly and forgetting the world around him in the steps they shared. As the music ended, they approached him.

“Your Highness,” spoke Takeshi, as he was of highest rank, “we have come to inform you that Lord Nikiforov has returned to the kingdom.”

The prince wondered, then, where Lord Nikiforov possibly was.

“He is sleeping with the bride that was to be his, Your Highness.”

Realization dawned on the prince’s features as the dance and music around them stilled. Silence engulfed the hall, for no one did dare speak.

“I see.” Said the prince, nodding thoughtfully. “Well, if Lord Nikiforov is sleeping with the bride, then surely the bride was his long before he was meant to be mine.”

“So it happens, Your Highness.” Confirmed Takeshi with a bow.

“Then I have been misguided by the elders, who told me surely the innkeeper Katsuki’s son wasn’t promised to anyone.” The prince declared, and the elders flinched. “Not even his own father said a thing. I demand payment for the wedding I’ve held that has led to nothing!”

“And I will gladly pay you dearly, Your Highness.”

The guests parted to make way for Lord Nikiforov, who was carrying his rightful bride in his arms, identical golden rings glistening on their fingers in the light of the chandeliers.

“I will pay you twelve barrels of silver and twelve of gold for the wedding you have held.” Said the lord, smiling brightly as the sun as he cradled his husband to his chest. “And I will pay you twelve barrels of mead and twelve of wine to make up for the fact that Yuuri Nikiforov was never yours to claim.”

The prince regarded the newlywed couple, the guests holding their breaths.

Then, he smiled back.

“I accept your gifts, Lord Nikiforov.” He said, and then turned to the maiden he had danced with for many a day. “But let’s not have all this have been for nothing, for I would wish to take you as my bride and mine alone, fair Isabella.”

And so, the prince married Isabella instead, and the spouses Nikiforov celebrated their union together with them for seven days on end.

 

When the week had passed, Lord Nikiforov brought his husband with him to his castle, where they settled down for good. The lord had acquired many riches during his travels, and it is said he needed not leave the kingdom for such matters for the rest of his days.

As the tale has it, the lord was never bored again, for his husband surprised him every day. He needed not seek adventure, for each moment spent with his bride was one in itself, and as such, he promised to never seek it elsewhere again.

And if they have not died, they are living there to this very day.

**Author's Note:**

> The medieval ballad the story is based on comes in many shapes and sizes, but I’ve mostly stuck to a combination of Stolt Ingrid (Proud Ingrid) and Vänner och fränder (Friends and acquaintances). In the former, Ingrid’s brothers offer her to the richest man in all the land, although she is in love with another man who owns most of said land, but as he is at sea and Ingrid is of age, they arrange a wedding anyway and she absolutely refuses to consummate the marriage. The ending is almost exactly the one I depicted here, where Ingrid’s lover returns, claims her as his, and pays the her misguided groom in gold, silver, wine and mead for the wedding and for the spouse that wasn’t his. The other ballad has an unnamed maiden marry the son of a king instead while she is in fact in love with the wealthy landowner who, again is at sea. The only deviation (apart from that she’s supposed to marry a prince), is that she escapes her own wedding when she spots the ship and the couple sail away to escape altogether. I considered the second ending, too, but somehow it was more fitting for Viktor to sprint than have Yuuri do it. His feet were bleeding and all that…
> 
> I have an MA in Nordic Folkloristics. This happens sometimes.


End file.
